4CCP1300

Useful Information

Distances:

Point (𝐩) to Line (𝐫0 + 𝜆𝐯̂) (𝐩 − 𝐫line ) × 𝐯̂

Point (𝐩) to Plane (𝐫 − 𝐫0 ) ⋅ 𝐧
̂=0 ̂
(𝐩 − 𝐫plane ) ⋅ 𝐧

Inverse of a 2-by-2 matrix:

𝑎 𝑏 1 𝑑 −𝑏
𝐀=( ) → 𝐀−1 = ( )
𝑐 𝑑 𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐 −𝑐 𝑎

Inverse N-by-N matrix: 𝐀−𝟏 = [det(𝐀)−1 ]𝐂 𝑇

Cofactor matrix: 𝐂 with elements 𝐶𝑖𝑗 =(−1)𝑖+𝑗 𝑀𝑖𝑗 .
Minors: 𝑀𝑖𝑗 of the element 𝑎𝑖𝑗 of 𝐀 is equal to the determinant of the
matrix that results when we remove the i-th row and j-th column of 𝐀.

Change of basis matrix:

| | |
[𝐯]{𝐱̂,𝐲̂,𝐳̂} = (𝐛1 𝐛2 𝐛3 ) [𝐯]{𝐛1,𝐛2,𝐛3 }
⏟| | |
𝐛𝑖 in {𝐱̂,𝐲̂,𝐳̂} basis

Cylindrical and Spherical coordinate unit vectors:

Coordinate
Coordinates Unit vectors
system
𝑥 = 𝜌 cos 𝜙 𝐞̂𝜌 = cos 𝜙 𝐱̂ + sin 𝜙 𝐲̂
Cylindrical
{ 𝑦 = 𝜌 sin 𝜙 { 𝐞̂𝜙 = −sin 𝜙 𝐱̂ + cos 𝜙 𝐲̂
(𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
𝑧=𝑧 𝐞̂𝑧 = 𝐳̂
𝑥 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜙 𝐞̂𝑟 = sin 𝜃 cos 𝜙 𝐱̂ + sin 𝜃 sin 𝜙 𝐲̂ + cos 𝜃 𝐳̂
Spherical
{ 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 sin 𝜙 { 𝐞̂𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝜙 𝐱̂ + cos 𝜃 sin 𝜙 𝐲̂ − sin 𝜃 𝐳̂
(𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙)
𝑧 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃 𝐞̂𝜙 = −sin 𝜙 𝐱̂ + cos 𝜙 𝐲̂

2
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

Cylindrical and Spherical coordinate differentials:

Coordinate Differential Differential Differential

system displacement d𝐫 normal area d𝐒 volume d𝑉
d𝜌 𝐞̂𝜌 𝜌 d𝜙 d𝑧 𝐞̂𝜌
Cylindrical
+ 𝜌 d𝜙 𝐞̂𝜙 + d𝜌 d𝑧 𝐞̂𝜙 𝜌 d𝜌 d𝜙 d𝑧
(𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
+ d𝑧 𝐳̂ + 𝜌 d𝜌 d𝜙 𝐳̂
2
d𝑟 𝐞̂𝑟 𝑟 sin 𝜃 d𝜃 𝑑𝜙 𝐞̂𝑟
Spherical
+ 𝑟 d𝜃 𝐞̂𝜃 + 𝑟 sin 𝜃 d𝑟 𝑑𝜙 𝐞̂𝜃 𝑟 2 sin 𝜃 d𝑟 d𝜙 d𝜃
(𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙)
+ 𝑟 sin 𝜃 d𝜙 𝐞̂𝜙 + 𝑟 d𝑟 d𝜃 𝐞̂𝜙

Parametric curve: 𝐫(𝑢)

d𝐫
Tangent to the curve: 𝛕 =
d𝑢
d𝐫
Line integral: ∫ 𝑓(𝐫) d𝑙 where d𝑙 = ‖ ‖ d𝑢
𝐶 d𝑢
Line integral 𝑏
d𝐫
with dot ∫ 𝐅 ⋅ d𝐫 = ∫ 𝐅 ⋅ d𝑢
d𝑢
product: 𝐶 𝑎

Parametric surface: 𝐫(𝑢, 𝑣)

𝜕𝐫 𝜕𝐫 𝜕(𝑦, 𝑧) 𝜕(𝑧, 𝑥) 𝜕(𝑥, 𝑦)
Normal to the surface: 𝐍 = × = 𝐱̂ + 𝐲̂ + 𝐳̂
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕(𝑢, 𝑣) 𝜕(𝑢, 𝑣) 𝜕(𝑢, 𝑣)
Surface
∬ 𝑓(𝑢, 𝑣) d𝑆 where d𝑆 = ‖𝐍‖ d𝑢 d𝑣
integral: 𝑆

𝐍
Flux: ∬ 𝐅 ⋅ d𝐒 = ∬ (𝐅 ⋅ 𝐧
̂) d𝑆 where d𝐒 = d𝑆 = 𝐍 d𝑢 d𝑣
𝑆 𝑆 ‖𝐍‖

3
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

SECTION A
Answer SECTION A on an answer book. Answer as many parts of this section
as you wish. Your total mark for this section will be capped at 20.

1.1) A detector placed next to a 1 g sample of radioactive atoms detects

an average of 10 decay events per day. What is the probability that
that 5 decays are detected on a randomly selected day? Assume
that decay events are independent of each other.
[3 marks]

1.2) Determine the real and imaginary parts of the complex number
𝑧 where 𝑧 is given by

𝑧 = (1 + 𝑒 𝑖𝜃 )2
[2 marks]

1.3) Calculate the minimum distance between the line 𝐫(𝜆) = 𝐱̂ +

𝜆(𝐱̂ + 𝐳̂) and the surface of a sphere centred at 𝐜 = (2,1,0) with
radius 𝑅 = 1.
[4 marks]

1.4) Consider an orthonormal basis given by vectors {𝐞̂1 , 𝐞̂2 , 𝐞̂3 } and
consider a unitary matrix 𝐀. Suppose we calculate vectors {𝐯1 , 𝐯2 , 𝐯3 }
as 𝐯𝑖 = 𝐀𝐞̂𝑖 . Will the set of vectors {𝐯1 , 𝐯2 , 𝐯3 } always be an
orthonormal basis? Justify your answer.
[2 marks]

1.5) Find all eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the following matrix

1 −1
𝐀=( )
1 1
[4 marks]

4
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

1.6) Find the coordinates of all the five stationary points in the function
2 2
𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦) = (4𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 )𝑒 −𝑥 −𝑦 . Note, you do not need to classify them.
[5 marks]

1.7) Calculate the integral ∬𝑆 𝐞̂𝜃 d𝑆 where 𝐞̂𝜃 is the unit vector associated
with the polar angle coordinate 𝜃 (angle with respect to the z-axis)
as usual in spherical coordinates, and the surface 𝑆 is a sphere of
radius 𝑅 centred at the origin.

Hint: You may use symmetry arguments as a shortcut for some

calculations.
[5 marks]

1.8) Calculate the work done 𝑊 = ∫𝐿 𝐅 ⋅ d𝐫 by a force field 𝐅 = 𝑧𝐱̂ acting

on a point mass that follows a path 𝐿 given by 𝐫(𝛼) =
(− cos 𝛼 , 0, sin 𝛼) with 𝛼 ∈ [0, 𝜋] rad.

Also sketch the trajectory of the path 𝐿, and the force 𝐅 at various
points along the path.
[5 marks]

5
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

SECTION B − Answer ONE question

Answer SECTION B in an answer book
Question B1)

a) An object occupies a volume 𝑉 defined by the following simultaneous

conditions:

• Outside the sphere defined by 𝑟 = 1 (𝑟 is distance to the origin)

• Inside the cylinder defined by 𝜌 = 1 (𝜌 is distance to the z axis)
• Between the two planes 𝑧 = 0 and 𝑧 = 1.

This object is made up of a material whose mass volume density

𝛼[kg/m3] depends on position and is given by 𝛼(𝐫) = 12𝜌2 𝑧.

i) Sketch a cross section of this volume in the XZ plane.

[1 mark]

ii) Show that the total volume of this object is given by 𝜋/3 m3 and
show that the total mass of this object is equal to 2𝜋 kg.
[8 marks]

b) In this question, we will treat quadratic polynomials as vectors, by using

the basis {𝐞1 , 𝐞2 , 𝐞3 } = {1, 𝑥, 𝑥 2 }.
𝑣1
A vector 𝐯 = (𝑣2 ) in the basis {𝐞1 , 𝐞2 , 𝐞3 } represents a quadratic
𝑣3
polynomial 𝑝(𝑥) = 𝑣1 + 𝑣2 𝑥 + 𝑣3 𝑥 2 .

i) Prove that taking the derivative of a polynomial is a linear

transformation.
[1 mark]

ii) Being a linear transformation, the derivative can be represented

as a matrix in our basis. Find the matrix 𝐌 associated with taking
d
the derivative of a polynomial, such that 𝐌𝐯 represents 𝑝(𝑥).
d𝑥
[3 marks]

QUESTION CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE

6
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

iii) Calculate the null space of the matrix 𝐌. Explain why this null
space makes sense in the context of differentiation of
polynomials.
[3 marks]

Now consider a new basis {𝐛1 , 𝐛2 , 𝐛3 } = {1,1 + 𝑥, 𝑥 2 − 1} spanning the

same vector space of quadratic polynomials.

1
iv) Consider a vector given by 𝐳 = (0) in the basis {𝐛1 , 𝐛2 , 𝐛3 }. Write
1
down the polynomial that this vector represents.
[2 marks]

v) Calculate the change of basis matrix 𝐀 which converts a

polynomial expressed as a vector in the basis {𝐛1 , 𝐛2 , 𝐛3 } into the
same polynomial expressed as a vector in the basis {𝐞1 , 𝐞2 , 𝐞3 }.
In other words, find matrix 𝐀 such that 𝐯[𝐞𝑖 ] = 𝐀𝐯[𝐛𝑖 ] .
Also calculate the inverse matrix 𝐀−1 such that 𝐯[𝐛𝑖 ] = 𝐀−1 𝐯[𝐞𝑖 ] .
[6 marks]

vi) Write down the matrix 𝐌′ corresponding to the same linear

operation (the derivative) as matrix 𝐌 obtained in (ii) but working
on vectors in the new basis {𝐛1 , 𝐛2 , 𝐛3 }. In other words, change
the basis of matrix 𝐌 into the new basis.
[4 marks]

1
vii) Consider the same vector 𝐳 = (0) in the basis {𝐛1 , 𝐛2 , 𝐛3 } used
1
in (iv). Show that the matrix-vector multiplication 𝐌′𝐳 indeed
results in a vector whose associated polynomial is the derivative
of the polynomial found in (iv).
[2 marks]

7
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

Question B2)

a) This part is about mirror reflection transformations in two dimensions:

i) Find the matrix 𝐌 that performs a mirror-reflection of two-

dimensional vectors, with a mirror symmetry line given by the
equation 𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 with 𝑚 an arbitrary slope.

Hint: The answer is 𝐌 =

1
( 1 − 𝑚2 2𝑚 ) but you may not
1+𝑚2 2𝑚 𝑚2 − 1
use the answer in your derivation. You must derive it.

[5 marks]

ii) Calculate the determinant det(𝐌) and calculate the inverse matrix
𝐌 −1 . Explain your results in terms of the linear transformation
that 𝐌 represents.

[2 mark]

iii) Calculate (or use a reasoned argument to find) all the

eigenvalues of this matrix.
[2 marks]

QUESTION CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE

8
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

b) A Möbius strip can be created by curving a rectangular strip of length

2𝜋𝑅 and width 𝑊 into a loop, but twisting one end such that the
resulting surface is said to have only one side.

A possible parametrization of the Möbius strip is given below, together

with a figure depicting the resulting surface for this parametrization:

[𝑅 + 𝑢 cos(𝑣/2)] cos 𝑣
𝐫(𝑢, 𝑣) = ( [𝑅 + 𝑢 cos(𝑣/2)] sin 𝑣 )
𝑢 sin(𝑣/2)

Origin

𝑅
Circle of radius 𝑅
centred in origin
𝑊
Möbius strip of width 𝑊

i) Give the intervals in which the parameters 𝑢 and 𝑣 must be varied

so that 𝐫(𝑢, 𝑣) produces the Möbius strip shown in the figure.
[3 marks]

ii) Show that the z-component of the differential vector d𝐒(𝑢, 𝑣)

normal to the surface is given as
𝑣 𝑣
d𝑆𝑧 = d𝐒 ⋅ 𝐳̂ = cos ( ) [𝑅 + 𝑢 cos ( )] d𝑢 d𝑣.
2 2
[8 marks]

iii) Use d𝑆𝑧 as given in (ii) to provide an argument showing that the
Möbius strip has indeed only one side.
[2 marks]

QUESTION CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE

9
SEE NEXT PAGE
 4CCP1300

iv) Calculate the flux of a constant vector field 𝐅 = 𝐹𝑧 𝐳̂ over the

surface of the Mobius strip.
𝜙 = ∬ 𝐅 ⋅ d𝐒
𝑆
Explain the result.
[4 marks]

Imagine that, instead of twisting the strip one half-turn, we gave it an

integer number 𝑁 of half-turns, as shown below.

Mobius strip
𝑁=1 𝑁=2 𝑁=3 𝑁=4

v) Provide a possible parametrisation 𝐫(𝑢, 𝑣) for such a surface,

leaving 𝑁 as a variable.
[2 marks]

vi) Would the flux of a constant vector field 𝐅 = 𝐹𝑧 𝐳̂ over this new
surface, as calculated in (iv), change for different integer values
of 𝑁 including 𝑁 = 0?
[2 marks]

10
FINAL PAGE